


No Sugar

by Monsoon



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: (only for the span of one chapter in his defence), Alternate Universe - Office, Awkward Levi, Businessman Levi, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Receptionist Eren, Second-Hand Embarrassment, oblivious Eren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-04-16 20:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4639866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monsoon/pseuds/Monsoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>“You’re the receptionist at the company my company just bought out and I’m here with my partners for the merger meeting so I feel awkward asking you out for coffee but here I am asking you out for coffee.”</em> <br/>Except it all goes horribly wrong because, hello? Levi? <em>Flirting??</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shulkie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shulkie/gifts).



> Happy birthday, Shulks!! I got a little carried away with the prompt and it turned into a multi ;A; help me  
> (prompt idea from [this](http://monsoondownpour.tumblr.com/post/125369193043/list-of-aus) post)

Eren stared at the Word doc open in front of him, the cursor blinking cheerfully back at him from the mostly blank page. He jabbed the bright red ‘X’ in the corner of the screen with a snarl.

 “Urgh.” He continued his disgruntled staring contest with the default Windows desktop background of rolling green hills and a sunny blue sky. That was his whole lunch break down the drain.

“You alright, sweetie?” Petra didn’t look up from her monitor, manicured nails clacking at the speed of light as they danced across her keyboard.

“How the fuck do you write a cover letter?” Defeated, he shoved off his office chair and went to lean on Petra’s side of the front desk, watching the way the glare of the computer screen reflected off her horn-rimmed glasses. The head receptionist laughed, her fingers never ceasing.

“No one writes cover letters, dear. You just copy someone else’s and switch a couple words around.” She seemed to finish up her task because she pushed her glasses down her nose and leaned back in her chair, blinking up at him expectantly.  
“Found anything in particular you’re applying for?” Eren sucked aggressively from his juice box and Petra’s lips turned up knowingly. She sighed, patting his knee. “No fuss, sweetheart. You’ll find something, and when you do, Old Man Pixis will give you a glowing reference.” Eren wanted to sneer at her professionally upbeat veneer, but he knew she wasn’t to blame. Instead, he levelled his dark glare at the huge glass window above their front desk overlooking the main entryway. Perhaps if he willed it hard enough, Pixis would feel his malevolence. Not that he was entirely to blame, either. Probably. He didn’t know who _was_ to blame; the complex bureaucratical obstacle course of business mergers was way over his head.

“Uh oh, look smart!” Eren jumped as Petra pinched the flesh of his thigh. It was probably meant to be discrete, but the sound he made certainly wasn’t. “Back to your station, soldier! _They’re_ here.” Eren looked up at the revolving doors just in time to see the two figures stepping through, crisp tailored suits silhouetted sharply against the glare of the street outside. One tall, intimidating, and broad-shouldered, the other short and filling out his suit surprisingly well for, well, a ‘ _Suit’_. Over these past few weeks, he’d grown all too familiar with those figures slipping through the front door and striding across the marble tiles like they owned the place. Except as of today, they formally would.

Eren slunk back to his desk space and fixed his gaze on his Facebook feed. He’d leave them to Petra like he always did. The big fish didn’t bother with the junior secretary. Once the two firms had officially merged, he’d be the first out the door. He’d only been working here six months and no doubt they had their own skilled staff waiting to swoop in the lucrative new positions.

“Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum,” Eren muttered venomously under his breath, Petra hummed contemplatively.

“More like Robin Hood and Little John or something.” Eren shot her a betrayed glare.

“Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor? You’re making _them_ the good guys? _Really?_ ” I mean, Petra had been the Head Receptionist for almost five years now so her job was more or less concrete regardless of the merger, but she could at least _pretend_ to resent them. Eren shook his head, disgusted.

“I was thinking more aesthetically. I always thought Robin was roguishly cute, you know?” Petra was still watching the approaching men appreciatively from the corner of her eye. Eren whirled around in his office chair.

“Madam, you are a married woman,” He said, scandalized. Petra waved him of with pursed lips.

“Yes _married_ , not _blind_. Now shush, they’ll hear you.” As soon as she’d said the words, her mask was back up; wide, commercial smile and pleasant demeanour. Eren was still working on that.

“Hello gentlemen, how are you doing?”  The big blond man, Erwin Smith, who was the CEO of Survey Corp, returned Petra’s smile with his own dazzling one. Levi Ackerman stared flatly around like he always did, his poker face only cracking when his aloof gaze swept over the clutter of Eren’s desk space. Urgh, whatever. You’re not my boss until you go up that elevator and sign the official documents. Eren zoned out of the small talk. A better receptionist would offer up their own smile and greeting for the men who would soon be their bosses, but Eren didn’t have the patience to play nice. Not with _them_. He was half aware of Petra getting up to show them to the boardroom where Pixis was waiting when the phone started to ring. Automatically, he started reaching for it, only to pause mid way when Levi spoke up for probably the first time Eren had ever heard.

“That’s alright, Ms Ral. Eren can show us the way.” For a second, Eren sat there frozen and wide-eyed at being called by his first name, but then he reminded himself that all employees had name tags so this was nothing particularly special. He glanced at Petra, who only looked back and shrugged, just as puzzled as he was, before plucking the phone from its cradle and rattling off the company greeting. Eren cleared his throat and put on his best Colgate Smile. Alright then.

“Of course. Please, follow me, gentlemen.”

 

Eren was no stranger to showing clients around and seeing to their needs. He’d mastered the art of small talk and passably-fake smiles to qualify as a decent receptionist by now; not as good as Petra, of course, but she’d taught her underling well. He was good enough at it to recognise what he was doing now was a big No-No; silently leading the way to the boardroom without even pausing to check on Erwin and Levi with a smile. But they were the enemy, and Eren did not fraternize with the enemy.

“So, _Eren_. How long have you worked here?” What was that inflection in Erwin’s voice when he said his name? Eren glanced over his shoulder at the taller man, only to find he was preoccupied watching his dark-haired companion with a smirk. Meanwhile, Levi was studiously avoiding eye contact, glaring into the offices they passed with a noticeably more severe scowl than usual. Eren was confused, and that made him angry. He wasn’t sure what the inside joke was, but it definitely had something to do with him. Were they _laughing_ at him?

“Just about six months now, Sir.”

“Very good, very good. Carry on the fantastic work.” Oh _ha ha_. Carry on the fantastic work until we _fire_ your ass. They got to the elevator and Eren politely stood to the side, allowing the two men to enter before him before getting in last and pressing the button for the next floor up.

“Levi, for heaven’s sake, stop being so rude. Make some conversation, won’t you?” The shorter man shot Erwin a look so venomous, Eren probably would have wilted underneath it. The blond, however, looked completely unperturbed, smiling widely – a little _too_ widely – down at his friend. Eren looked between the two, trying to figure out what had just transpired. Was Erwin belittling him? Trying to act all chummy-chummy with someone of his 'station' for laughs? And Levi no doubt thought himself above all that or something. Eren’s mood darkened. He just wished this day would end.

The elevator dinged as they reached their floor and Erwin stepped out first,  glancing meaningfully in Levi’s direction.

“ _Levi_ …” he said, voice singsong and heavy with some underlying message.

“Okay!” Eren was startled but Levi’s outburst, and even more so by the way he jabbed Erwin none too gently in the side while the taller man just laughed it off. Completely bewildered but determined to get his job done, Eren shook his head and made to lead the way again, only to feel Levi grasp the sleeve of his jacket.

“Alrighty! Well I’ll head off first. Thank you, Eren, but I know the way.” Eren watched Erwin disappear down the corridor in the direction of the boardroom with a conspiratory wink before turning back to face the shorter man. Levi had his head bowed, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose and the other still clinging onto Eren’s sleeve.

“Uhh…” That seemed to snap Levi out of it, and he quickly released his grasp, stretching his fingers and rubbing his palms down the front of his suit nervously.

“Oh, sorry.” The man glanced up at him, he was significantly shorter than Eren. He’d never noticed the height difference so much before because it struck him now every other time he’d seen Levi, the man was standing over his desk at the reception. Perhaps Levi was noticing the height disparity too, because he quickly looked down and away, grey eyes darting around the empty corridor.

“Can… I help you?”

“Yes.” Levi looked up, nodding, and Eren nodded back as he waited for some sort of follow up. The silence stretched out awkwardly and he was starting to shift under the other man’s gaze when Levi seemed to remember it was his cue to speak again. He was a very flustered man. Eren was surprised; he always seemed to cool and composed every other time he’d seen him. “Right, sorry. I was just wondering…” Eren waited and Levi pursed his lips, eyes darting nervously between his. Eren decided he needed some help, if only a polite prodding. The man could barely string a coherent sentence together.

“You were wondering…?”

“Coffee,” Levi blurted. Eren blinked. “I mean, I was wondering if…” Levi didn’t strike him as a hand-talker, but he was using his hands now, gesturing helplessly like he was hoping it would help the words flow. “Maybe if you…? If maybe… grab some coffee…?”

_What?_

Eren’s polite smile dropped like an anvil. Coffee? He wanted Eren to make him _coffee_? Who did he think he was, ordering Eren around like he was already his boss? Just because he was some big-shot from a fancy firm, did he think he could just waltz in here and demand anyone to make him hot beverages? Well Eren would show him. Eren would make it _very_ clear he wasn’t about to be cowed into servitude by some pointy-shoe wearing _Suit_ who’d probably laugh at him behind his back later.

“All due respect, _Sir_ , I am a receptionist, not your personal secretary. It’s not in my job description to make you tea and coffee on demand. You’re not my boss yet.” Eren’s lips curled contemptuously around the words as he spat them out. He was satisfied to see the way Levi’s eye’s widened as he said the words, mouth opening and closing speechlessly. There. He’d done it. He was as good as fired now, for speaking like that, but he was expecting the sack anyway so at least he got to leave on his own terms after having showed the stuffy scumbags who ran the place just what he thought of them.

He thought he heard Levi call out to him as he turned away, but he ignored him and stormed into the waiting elevator, jabbing the close doors button savagely and watching with satisfaction as the big metal doors sealed Levi from his view, his face still frozen in an expression of mortified shock. Petra would be horrified but she could afford to be; _she_ wasn't the one losing her job. Eren didn’t care.

It only struck him that he must have forgotten his name tag that day when he reached up to tear it off, only to find it wasn’t already pinned to his lapels as it should have been.

 


	2. Chapter 2

“Oh my God, Levi! What happened?!” He almost turned around and walked right back out of the loft when he heard Hanji’s shout echo down the hallway. With a resigned groan, he closed the front door and leaned against it with his forehead, counting down from twenty as he braced for the inquisition to come.

Erwin was sitting at the kitchen counter with an apologetic smile on his face when Levi entered. He levelled the tall blond with an accusatory glare before setting the wine bottle down atop the bench and taking his own seat on the farthest stool from Erwin’s. Hanji had been preparing some sort of pasta bake for dinner which she now set aside in favour of leaning forward over the counter, chin perched on palms as she blinked at him expectantly. Oh God, why had he agreed to this? Why had he thought dinner at Erwin’s would have been a great way to distract himself from the disaster of his failed attempt at courtship? Levi cracked open the wine bottle and poured himself a generous serving into a ceramic mug drying on the counter. The look shared between Hanji and Erwin didn’t go unnoticed by him, but he studiously decided to ignore it.

“Levi, talk to me. How on earth did it go wrong? You’ve been planning to ask Aaron out for weeks, now!” Levi winced but he couldn’t be bothered correcting the mistake. What did it matter, anyway? Aaron, Eren; that ship had more or less sailed. Or rather burned and capsized in a spectacular inferno. He didn’t really want to think about today at all. He didn’t do that sort of thing often and he’d still messed up, somehow. Getting all tongue tied and tripping over his own words until he’d inevitably offended Eren and made a fool of himself. Oh God, Levi just wanted to roll up and die thinking back on the disaster; at the way Eren had looked at him, so _disgusted_. It was a misunderstanding, sure, but Levi still wanted to collapse in on himself in mortification.

“ _Levi_.”

“Didn’t shitty Eyebrows tell you everything already?” He snapped, hunching in on himself and glowering at the glass in his hand.

“No he didn’t because he’s shit at this sort of thing,” Hanji shot her husband a scowl. “All he told me was that you were rejected.” He didn’t think it was physically possible, but Levi somehow managed to curl up even further in on himself at the harsh sting of the word ‘rejected.’ Could he even call it that? Eren had completely misunderstood what he was trying to say and practically shouted him out of the building. Levi was never going to initiate a conversation with anyone ever again.

“Your husband is a shitty wingman,” Levi muttered. Hanji sighed.

“Yes I know that, Levi. That’s why I’m married to him. If he was any good at that sort of thing, I’d have ended up with you or Mike instead.” Levi had to crack a smile at that, smirking as Erwin spluttered indignantly. “Come on, Levi,” Hanji probed, surreptitiously topping up his glass and watching him owlishly through her thick lenses. “Tell mama what happened.”

“I –,” Levi took a deep breath and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. “I was trying to ask him out for coffee, but I kept messing up and stammering, and he thought I was _telling_ him to make me a coffee and he got angry.” He peeked out between his fingers to see Hanji wince. Even Erwin had the decency to bow his head solemnly.

“Jesus, Levi," Hanji clucked sympathetically. "You darling, hot mess."

“Erwin kept saying weird things and I think Eren thought we were making fun of him. He was in a foul mood.” The accused raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture, but that didn’t save him from Hanji’s glare. She rounded the kitchen islet and gathered a protesting Levi into her arms, rocking him against her flour-caked apron as she scolded her husband.

“Erwin, you useless old man; what did you do now?”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Bullshit, you wrinkled ball-sack. Remember how you said his name in the elevator? That was so suspicious.”

“I was making fun of you for knowing his name!” Erwin turned to plead his case to his wife, expecting more leniency. “He wasn’t wearing his name tag and Levi still called him by his name. I don’t know how he didn’t realise something then. The boys as thick as you are awkward, Levi. You’ve got your work cut out for you with this one.”

Levi shoved Hanji off him and reached for his glass, mood suddenly sombre again. “What are you talking about? I’m never going to talk to him again; he probably hates me.” He flinched as Hanji smacked his arm.

“Oh Jesus, Levi, stop it already you’re a grown man. It was obviously just a misunderstanding; if you clear it up it will be fine! What are you going to do, avoid him for the rest of your professional lives? You’ll be working in the same goddamn building from Monday onwards!”

“His face will be the first one you see every morning as you walk in through the front door,” Erwin helpfully chimed in, staring dramatically into space with a dreamy expression. Levi wanted to kick him, but he was all the way at the other end of the kitchen bench. Levi’s face paled just thinking about it. Holy shit, he was now the receptionist; how would Levi get around this? His horror must have registered in his expression because Hanji’s expression took a sly edge.

“Before you start plotting elaborate avoidance measures, how about we try remedy this first? Persistence in courtship has its own charm.” Levi narrowed his eyes before turning his gaze on Erwin, who shrugged back with a smile. He might not know what his wife was thinking, but judging by his stupid grin, he knew as well as Levi that Hanji was scheming; and when Hanji schemed, there was no stopping her.

 

***********

Monday morning came and Eren seemed to still have his job. He’d expected some formal email in his inbox the whole weekend, politely but firmly sacking him, or maybe an apathetic, clinical text message from a no-reply number. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his intact working space as he put his satchel down on the back shelf and slid into his office chair. He stared at the back of Petra’s head, trying to figure out if anything was off.

“What is it, hun? You’re burning a hole into my perm,” Petra asked, not looking up from her monitor. She sounded normal. Not like she knew about some invisible guillotine hanging over Eren’s head biding its time to give him the axe.

“…Nothing.” He powered up his computer and began sorting through the company mail as he waited. It was still too early for business hours and employees were just starting to trickle in. Most of the faces were familiar ones, greeting him and Petra cheerfully by name, but Eren also noticed some new ones in the mix. They smiled politely at him when they made eye contact, nervous but determined to make a good first impression and get into the routine. Eren greeted them brightly enough, but he couldn’t help the sense of dread hovering around him. Who had they replaced? How long until _he_ was replaced? His gut churned anxiously at the thought.

Petra made a funny humming sound and Eren glanced at her curiously out of the corner of his eye to see her smiling to herself, eyes still glued to the screen. Before he could ask what had got her in such a mood, another voice spoke up and answered the question for him.

“Morning Petra… Eren.” He whipped around so fast his chair almost unbalanced. Levi stood before the front desk, brief case in one hand and a cardboard tray holding three coffees from the fancy café across the street in the other. He smiled tightly at Petra as she began prattling on about how much she looked forward to them working together, but Eren didn’t miss the way his gaze flicked in his direction, only to look away just as fast when he made eye contact. It was weird. He wasn’t acting haughty given how they’d parted last, and certainly didn’t have the gloating air of someone who knew Eren was about to be fired. He just looked… nervous. And skittish.

Levi eventually extracted himself from Petra’s enthused conversation with some vague excuse, and Eren turned back to his work, only to notice the other man hesitating in his periphery. Eren’s lips pressed into a thin line that was not quite a smile (but hey, brownie points for trying) his fingers still clacking arbitrarily across the keyboard under the pretence of work. He almost felt bad for the way the other man seemed to shift nervously on the spot. Now that he thought about it, Levi had never acted like the other executives and higher-ups; he never talked with an authoritatively obnoxious, booming voice, or turned his nose up at him or the other paper pushers and interns. He’d always just hovered silent and observing in the background as Erwin Smith handled all the diplomatic small talk and networking.

“I… uh…” _Here we go again._ Eren arched an expectant eyebrow but still did not look up. Could he possibly be about to apologise? No, Levi might not be all uppity, but that still seemed like far too much to hope for.  “I got you both a coffee.” _Oh._

_Wait, what?_

Levi took one of the paper take away cups out of the cardboard holder and placed the other two down on the desk between Eren and Petra. Then, without another word, he turned and bee-lined for the elevator like he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Eren finally stopped his act to stare after the other man in bemusement. As soon as he got into the elevator, Levi looked back towards the front desk, or rather, at Eren, and their eyes met briefly just before the doors closed. His expression was as hard to decipher as ever, but Eren could have sworn he’d glimpsed the faintest hopeful arch of eyebrows.

“Well, wasn’t that thoughtful?”  Petra said, plucking a cup from the holder. “I think that one’s yours, love.”

Eren narrowed his eyes at the remaining cup with ‘ _Aaron’_ awkwardly scrawled up one side in marker. He could smell the extra cinnamon and chai from here and it only served to make him angrier still.

How the fuck did he know his coffee order?

 

“Hey shawty, where’s my morning coffee?” Hanji sauntered into Levi’s office as he was starting to settle in; arranging his supplies neatly along his desk and distributing his belongings around the new office space. It was smaller than his old one despite the promotion, but is was closer to his apartment and had a fantastic view of the promenade and the yachts littering the foreshore, so it was certainly an upgrade.

Levi looked up from stacking his bookshelf and sighed.

“I gave it to Petra. Accidentally.” Hanji shot him an amused look, ignoring his glare as they perched on his desk top and started fiddling with his stapler.

“How on earth did you manage that?” Her expression dawned with realization and Levi had to look away, embarrassed. “You forgot to buy her one when you got Eren’s, didn’t you?” he didn’t need to respond, and the brunette burst into laughter. It had been Hanji’s idea to buy Eren coffee as a sort of peace offering, and it had only occurred to Levi how rude and incredibly suspicious it would be to not get Petra one too only _after_ he’d already arrived at work, and he really didn’t have the time to double back for another, especially since the morning rush had just started.

“Okay well I’m nicking yours then,” she said, leaning over to snag the half-finished foam cup and taking a long sip. She met his glare evenly. “I need my caffeine fix, baby-doll, and I’m your boss.”

“Your _husband_ is my boss; _we’re_ on the same level.”

“And I’m my husband’s boss,” Hanji snapped her fingers in the air and stared him down unflinchingly. “Basic chain of command, Levi.”

Their back and forth was interrupted by a tentative knock on the glass door. Levi looked up and almost dropped the valuable tome in his hands when he realized it was none other than Eren waiting in the door way, a wad of envelopes clutched in his hands and watching the two of them nervously.

“Uh, your redirected mail, Sir.” He held out the letters without stepping into the room, even going so far as to awkwardly lean in to avoid having to actually enter. Before Levi could even take a step in his direction, however, Hanji leapt forward.

“Eren! Hello, nice to meet you!” She said, pumping his hand like an enthusiastic salesman and waving him into the room. _Oh God_. Levi covered his eyes and stifled a groan. “I’ll take those!” She snatched the letters out of his hands and shoved them in Levi’s direction.

“How does _everyone_ know my name?” Eren groused once he’d finally recovered from Hanji’s exuberance, awkwardly standing before the two of them. At least he was _in_ the room now. Hanji nodded at the gold badge fastened to his jumper.

“You’re wearing a nametag, honey,” she answered without missing a beat. Except of course she’d known who he was long before she’d ever lain eyes on him. Eren’s gaze slid over to Levi’s now, for the first time since he’d arrived. ‘ _What’s_ your _excuse’?_ His eyes seemed to ask. For once, Levi refused to let his gaze drop. He never before had a problem meeting other people’s stares, but Eren’s eyes just had a way of making him feel like he’d been caught out staring which, he supposed, he usually had been. The boy was wearing a green argyle sweater that looked like it had been stolen from his grandfather’s wardrobe. Coupled with his black skinny jeans, big brown glasses, and fucking Chai tea (which Levi knew because the sweet, cinnamon scent followed him around like perfumed cloud), Levi only felt the age gap more keenly. He was at that point in life where he knew what was ‘in’, but it also bewildered him so he wasn’t even blissfully ignorant of how out-of-touch he was. The boy had to be at least a solid decade younger than him. Hanji might have been teasing, but she was also right; he _was_ a gross old man.  
“Anyway, hi Eren! I’ve been trying to have a little chat with everyone just to get familiar with the new place so we can all become friends sooner. I’m your boss, Hanji!”

“She’s Erwin’s wife,” Levi interjected, shooting Hanji a warning glare. “She doesn’t even work in this branch. Why _are_ you here?” When the firm had merged with Pixis’, Mike had been appointed head of the new branch and Levi had moved with him. Hanji had stayed on at the old place with Erwin. Far away from here.

Eren smiled awkwardly at Hanji and inched towards the door. “Oh okay, well, nice to meet you but…I should probably get back to the desk…” He pointed behind him with an apologetic shrug.

“Wait.” Two pairs of eyes turned to him expectantly. Levi exhaled slowly and glared pointedly in Hanji's direction.

“Right!” The brunette jumped up. “I need to go… bother Mike.” Levi nodded encouragingly and she hurried out the door, pausing to shoot him a wink and thumbs-up over Eren’s shoulder. The small office was suddenly very quiet without her filling in the silence. Eren shifted on the spot, looking around the room nervously. Okay, okay, how should he do this? Offer him a seat? No, that was too formal; the only chairs in his office were the two meant for clients on the other side of his desk.

“Thank you for the coffee.”

Levi looked up, but Eren was back to avoiding his eye, hands clasped in front of him and looking down at his shoes like a kid in the principal’s office waiting to be reprimanded. Shit, that’s what he must feel like; here he was in his boss’ office after going off at him the other week. Everything about this situation screamed ‘punishment.’

“I know your name because I remember it from the first time I came here. You were wearing your name tag that day.” He shelved the book in his hands and walked around to his desk to sort through the mail, knocking the now empty coffee cup off his desk into the bin. Goddamn Hanji.

“You remember all the staffs names that easily?” Eren joked.

“No. Just yours.” Levi didn’t dare look up to see the expression the younger mans expression. “You’re not in trouble, Eren. You can relax.” Levi’s palms were sweating and his heart racing despite how nonchalantly he was going about cutting open each letter. At least he wasn’t stuttering this time.

“...Why not?” Eren’s tone was suspicious, and Levi saw him take a hesitant step forward from the edge of his vision.

“Because it was my mistake.” He was going to say it now, he was going to clear the air. Except that would also mean clarifying what he _had_ meant, which would be essentially asking Eren out again all over again. Suddenly his hands _were_ shaking and he had to put his letter opener down before his sliced his palm open. Wouldn’t that be hilarious? Hanji and Erwin would have a good chuckle at that.

“Mr Ackerman..?”

“Just call me Levi.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. Yeah, imagining the sound of his name so familiar on Eren’s tongue made goose bumps rise along his arms, but what if this went downhill? It would be well and good if this was resolved happily, but what if Eren shot him down? That was not so unbelievable an outcome, and how awkward things would become afterwards:

 _“Why do you call Mr Ackerman by his first name?”_ Petra would ask one day as the two lazed behind the front desk on lunch break.

 _“Oh, that.”_ Eren laughed and rolled his gorgeous sea-green eyes. _“He told me to call him Levi just before asking me out once. It was so awkward, but I feel bad for him so I still do it.”_ Petra would pull a face, then, laughing along.

 _“Yikes, that old guy asked_ you _out? A fine piece of ass like yours? Where does he get off thinking he’s such hot shit?”_

 _“I know, right?”_ They would throw back their heads and laugh, then. Fuck, this was a terrible idea.

 

“—Sir!”

“Huh?” Levi blinked and looked up to find Eren right in front of him, hand poised in front of his face like he’d been waving it just moments earlier.

“Where do you keep going?” The boy sighed and stepped back, and while his tone was exasperated, his eyes were faintly amused. “If you’re not stuttering and stumbling over your own words, you just drift off instead.”

“I’m nervous, okay?” Eren scoffed.

“Why on earth are _you_ nervous?”

“Because of you, you oblivious fuck!” _Ah, shit._ If Erwin had been in the room, he would have applauded. Levi had truly outdone himself.

“E- _excuse me_?” Eren’s mouth hung open, and Levi was willing to bet his own expression probably mirrored Eren’s pretty closely.

On one hand, Levi wanted to die. He’d just fucked up so extravagantly that there couldn’t possibly be any point in continuing to exist on this God-forsaken ball of mud called earth. He’d just called the boy he’d been in love with for the past few months an oblivious fuck. Shouted it, in fact, right in his face. In saying that, it also felt like a huge weight had suddenly been lifted from his shoulders. He could never fuck up worse than this. Nothing he would do could ever be as unbelievably awful as this. He’d hit rock bottom, and in a weird sort of logic, it was comforting to know it could only go up from here.

Levi held up his hand. “Let me explain.” He felt very calm, right now. For the first time in Eren’s presence, his mind was perfectly clear. Acceptance. That’s what this was; he’d accepted his fate.  
Eren looked bemused by this turn of events, looking between Levi’s raised palm and his face like he was trying to process what had just happened. He managed a stuttered nod, at least appreciating an explanation would indeed be a good place to start. Levi couldn’t watch him anymore. He couldn’t watch the way his expression would inevitably crumble from shock, to disbelief, to revulsion, so he looked down at his desk and ran a nail up along a deep groove in the mahogany.

“Eren, I am very… _flustered_ in your presence.” Oh God, what a way to start. It sounded like something straight out of an Austen novel: “ _In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you._ ”  Actually, that wasn’t so bad, and he sure could use a script right now. Eren, however, didn’t seem to appreciate his attempt at a tactful approach.

“What does that _mean?_ ”

“I like you! For fucks sake, you stupid piece of shit, I was trying to ask you out for coffee last week, not ask you to go _make_ me one!” Eren’s confused scowl slowly melted away as the words sunk in. His lips parted in a small ‘o’.

“Yeah...” Levi nodded, combing his hands through his hair. He took a few deep breaths before continuing. “Okay well that’s out there then. Not exactly how I wanted to do it but, hey, at least I didn’t stutter this time.” Eren suddenly looked as awkward as Levi felt. He shuffled in place, eyes pointed at the floor as he dried the palms of his hands on his sweater.

“…You’re serious?” Eren risked a peek at him through his bangs and Levi couldn’t tell anything from his expression. Couldn’t tell if he was hopeful that Levi might burst out laughing and admit it was an elaborate prank, or if he hoped it wasn’t. As tempted as Levi was to go with the former, there was no point now. He’d rather Eren at least know Levi hadn’t intended to insult him the other day and reject him now than think he was an asshole who played shitty jokes and leave him to languish in his feelings any longer.

Levi sagged against the front of his desk and sighed. “Yeah. Sorry.” Because he really did feel like such a confession warranted an apology. What a burden to drop on the poor kid; hi I’m your new asshole boss; an old, socially awkward loser who’s been nursing the most God-awful crush on you since day one. No pressure.  
“Hey, look, I know I’m your boss now and honestly this was kind of really shitty of me in retrospect, but I don’t want you to feel like there may be any repercussions you should worry about when you reject me. I just really wanted to clear the air because I did not want you to think I was the type of entitled asshole who’d order you to make me coffee.” He cringed.

“Reject you?” Eren echoed, looking stunned. “Hold on, just, at least give me time to process this first. Aren’t I going to get the sack anyway?” Now it was Levi’s turn to look confused.

“Why would you?”

“I _–_ I don’t know? I thought you guys were making a tonne of people redundant with the merger. I saw all the new people come in; I figured I’d be next soon enough.”

“We did do a little housekeeping. Maybe about half a dozen people were sacked, but only after thorough background checks with Pixis’ consultation, and only because they were deemed inefficient. You’re quite safe, I promise. Everyone else is safe, too.” This was… unexpected. Eren seemed far more concerned about the fact that he’d thought he’d lose his job than Levi’s sudden confession.

“Oh my God.” Eren covered his mouth with his hands and stared out at the cityscape behind Levi. “Oh my _God_.” Slowly, a wide, relieved smile spread across his face and he close his eyes, pressing his palms together in a prayer against his lips. Levi blinked when his eyes suddenly snapped open. “Oh! I have to–,” Eren motioned behind himself vaguely, still beaming like Levi had surprised him with a bonus pay check. “I have to go tell the others!”

“Um—?"

“I’m sorry! Excuse me, Sir – I mean Levi. Thank you!”

“Oh. Uh…” Levi watched the grinning boy hurry out of his office. He watching him break into a sprint once he’d speed walked a sensible enough distance, high-fiving an unsuspecting tea lady as he passed before dashing down the stairs and out of sight, laughter echoing behind him. Levi was still staring blankly in the direction he'd had gone when Hanji appeared again, head poking around the door frame and expression curious.

“I imagine, judging by all that whooping and dancing, everything went well?” Levi blinked and slowly turned to face her. 

“I – I don’t know.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’M SORRY I DIDN’T REPLY TO MOST OF THE COMMENTS ON THE LAST CHAPTER I READ THEM ALL AND I LOVED THEM BUT THEN I FORGOT TO REPLY AND ONLY RMEMBERED LIKE WEEKS LATER AND THAT WOULD BE WEIRD I THOUGHT D: THANK YOU FOR LEAVING COMMENTS!! I APPRECIATE THEM ALL AND LOOK FORWARD TO ALL YOUR FEEDBACK!!! <3<3<3

Eren burst from the bathroom, dripping hair sticking up in every direction as he stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wide and haunted. Mikasa and Armin looked up from the half-prepared feast of expensive wine (splashing out on a thirty dollar bottle for the special occasion) and Nando’s. When Eren had called them both that morning with the elated news he wouldn’t be losing his job, they’d decided it was something worth celebrating. Armin exchanged a startled look with Mikasa.

“Eren..?” The blond spoke through a mouthful of Peri-Peri chips, watching his best friend carefully. Eren snapped to attention, blinking but still slightly dazed.

“I… have to go.”

“What? Where? You just got home and we haven’t even eaten.” But Eren was already snatching up his sneakers and dashing out of the house with a rushed apology. “Take your sweater it’s raining!” Mikasa’s voice petered off as the front door slammed shut. She looked at Armin, who mirrored her bewildered expression and shrugged. Sometimes you just had to let Eren do his thing and confront him about it later. The boy was like a runaway steam train; it was easier to salvage the wreckage than try to stop it. Armin popped another chip in his mouth. 

“You wanna start eating, then?”

 

It was half past three when Eren arrived at the towering glass and steel skyscraper of the latest Survey Corp branch. It had been drizzling when he’d set off on his bike from home, but the light rain had turned into a full force deluge by the time he was halfway to work. When he finally finished securing his bike to the rack and stumbled in through the shining glass doors, trailing rainwater behind him on the glistening marble tile of the foyer, he was completely soaked through and shivering. Petra and Christa manned the front desk, the latter having relieved him of his shift not a few hours earlier, and the both looked up startled at his approach.

“Oh my…”

“Eren! Are you okay?!” Christa’s blue eyes watched him, wide with concern. He waved them away as he bent over and tried to catch his breath.

“I – is Levi in?”

“Levi…?

“Mr Ackerman,” Eren corrected himself. Well, wasn’t he adjusting quickly? Petra blinked at him owlishly through her lime green glasses.

“No, sweetie, he clocked out a little before you did. Is everything alright?”

“Do you have a number?” The girls unconsciously leaned back in their seats when he slammed his dripping hands on the tabletop, watching him like they expected him to lose it any second. He saw Christa’s hand twitch towards the security button under the counter, and he quickly mumbled an apology and shuffled back to a polite distance.

“I can take a message…?” Petra offered hesitatingly, ever the professional.

“No, no, I have to talk to him _now_.” Because it had taken a long relaxing soak in the shower for Eren’s brain to finally click that, before he’d learned he wasn’t going to get sacked, _he’d been asked out by his boss_.

“Look, I can tell it’s an emergency, but there’s no point. His office is empty; if I tried ringing you through now, the call would go through to his secretary or voicemail.”

“A mobile, then?” Petra stiffened.

“Sweetpea, what are you asking? I shouldn’t even be offering to give you his _office_ number.” Oh he knew exactly what he was asking. Petra had access to all sorts of records, even private email correspondence between the top-tier of the company; while she shouldn’t even be looking at them, he knew she could find basically anything with a couple clicks on her computer.

“Trust me, please. I’ll take the blame; I’ll tell him I used your log-in to access it. Please Petra!”

“You could get fired, or charged, or _Jesus_ have you seen that man, Eren? He’ll probably beat you with his own hands if you do something stupid with that kind of information.” Well he doubted that; he’d seen what a bumbling mess the suave looking man really was, not to mention the fact that Levi liked him was enough assurance against such a thing, but the point was she wasn’t refusing him. Eren grinned gratefully and Petra clicked her tongue, shaking her head. Her eyes returned to her screen as she resumed typing, and Eren knew she was finding him what he’d requested. “I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, sugar, but you be careful now. As Christa is my witness, I will tell them you held a knife to my throat if I have to.” Petra shot him a wink over the frames of her glasses. “Oh okay, here it is. You ready?” Eren fumbled out his phone, snatching a handful of tissues from the box on the counter and drying it before keying in the digits the receptionist read out.

“Now get out of here, your trailing mud all over my tiles!” Eren thanked her again before he hit dial and made his way to the janitors exit hidden behind the elevators. The narrow corridor dumped him in the alley along the side of the building, and he followed it down to the promenade that stretched behind the back.

“Come on, come on!” he muttered under his breath as the fourth ring sounded. The seafront walkway was relatively deserted in the downpour. No one was out in such weather, save for a few seagulls wheeling overhead and a couple boats moored out on the water. The cafes facing the foreshore were still open, but business was slow and their unoccupied chairs and patio umbrella’s dripped rainwater forlornly.

The sound of clicking and rustling alerted Eren that Levi’s phone had been answered, and he snapped to attention, swallowing the lump in his throat. He heard a muffled ‘ _fuck’_ from the other end of the line, and the sound of more shuffling.

“ _Yes?_ ” That was definitely Levi. He sounded tired and pissed, panting heavily into the receiver. Any words Eren might have been about to say suddenly vanished, because all he could think about were the things he might have interrupted Levi doing that had him sounding so breathless and irate. Oh God no stop. Don’t picture it. Oh fuck. It wasn’t so hard to believe; he was a handsome man, wealthy, young and accomplished; definitely quite the catch. If you thought you’d been rejected by someone you’d asked out, you might go to someone else for comfort of the more carnal kind. Eren swallowed again, blinking the rain from his vision.

“Who the fuck is it? I can hear you breathing, pervert. How did you get this number?” Oh shit, he had to say something. Or hang up, hanging up might be good. On second thought, why did he thinking requisitioning his boss’ number through questionable methods and calling him spontaneously would be a good idea? Levi probably thought he’d been rejected, and maybe he didn’t even care that much and wouldn’t appreciate an unsolicited call from his subordinate on his private phone. Maybe he did this often; hit on the new kid for a laugh. He certainly didn’t act smooth enough to be able to pull that kind of thing off, but then again, that could be a carefully constructed act.

“Uh…hi.” Oh, he hadn’t meant to say that. All sounds of shuffling on the other end paused for a moment, and Eren could tell Levi was listening closely, perhaps expecting something more or trying to identify him from his tentative greeting.

“Hello? Who is that?” At least he wasn’t ranting and raving anymore. He was still breathing heavily, but the sounds of rustling sheets was less vigorous now. _Vigorous_. Why did he use that word? It just sounded… inappropriate.

 “It’s me.” Ugh, stupid! ‘ _Me’_ what the hell did that mean to him?

“ _Eren_? Is that you?” Okay, more than he’d thought.

“Yeah.” He laughed awkwardly, like he’d been caught sneaking cookies out of the jar, not calling his boss after hours on his private line.

“Where are you?”

“Huh?”

“Where are you right now?” Eren blinked.

“Uh, I’m on The Promenade behind work.” He turned around to face the tall office building silhouetted against the grey sky. He squinted through the splatter of fat raindrops on his face and scanned the lines of glass windows until he found the one he’d been looking for, even though he knew it was empty. “Right outside your office, actually. Why?”

“I _thought_ that was you.”  The voice echoed in his ear tinny through the phone, but he heard it behind him first. Eren whirled around to face the man standing several feet behind him, phone still to his ear and watching him with an unusual smile. Levi was wearing dark grey track pants and a navy sweatshirt, both completely soaked through. Rivulets of rainwater dribbling down his drawn hoodie and streamed off his shoulders. His skin was pale from the cold save for his coloured cheeks, and his dark hair was plastered against his forehead. It was the messiest Eren had ever seen him look; he was so used to Levi in his neatly tailored, designer three piece suit, hair perfectly parted and combed, briefcase in hand. He looked so ordinary now, so _young_.

It took Eren a moment to realise they’d been standing like that for a while in complete silence, just staring at each other with their forgotten phones still held to their ears. He scrambled to press the ‘end call’ button, and saw Levi snap out of it and do the same.

“You were _running._ ” Levi looked at him puzzled; fair enough, it must sound like a stupidly unnecessary observation to make. It’s just, the panting, and the rustling of fabric was all from exercise! Eren laughed and shook his head. He felt relieved, and then he felt stupid for feeling relieved. Why was he happy Levi wasn’t in someone else’s arms? Did that mean he was interested in him? He certainly hadn’t thought about it in any depth, in fact, he’d sprinted out of the apartment as soon as he remembered Levi’s confession without even thinking what he planned to do or say once he met the man. Levi must be expecting a response; why else would Eren call him out of the blue and show up at the office again after work was long over? He realised he was letting his mind run away with itself again when Levi coughed and shifted on the spot.

“You’re shivering,” Levi said, and it finally hit Eren that he was _fucking cold_. He was only wearing a thin baseball shirt and jeans, and he’d been riding through the city and wandering around the Promenade while it bucketed down around him.

“Oh _fuck_.” His teeth chattered around the words and he hugged his arms around himself, hunching his shoulders against the rain. Levi eyed him with amusement, like he couldn’t believe just how _slow_ he was.

“Let’s get you inside and dry.” And then, at Eren’s questioning look. “I have a change of clothes in my office for after my run.”

“What about you?”

“I always keep a spare suit as well.” Eren snorted. Of course he did. Eren barely had the presence of mind to bring his keys before dashing out of the house without a game plan, but Levi seemed like although he couldn’t improvise so well when put on the spot, he’d considered every potential different scenario and planned for it in advance.

Levi lead the way back to the office building and Eren left a polite distance between them as he followed. His mind was buzzing now that he had the time to think everything over. He wondered how Levi felt when he’d just bolted. Mortified, he’d imagine. Fuck, he was so _rude_! Mikasa was always telling him how he had a one-track mind and he needed to think things through more as well. He was being very nice though, even now. Eren peeked up at the man in front of him. Levi seemed to be walking casually enough, but Eren felt like he was meekly following his teacher to the principal’s office, although he didn’t think Levi would actually be mad at him. Maybe.

“How did you get my number?” When Eren hesitated to answer, Levi glanced over his shoulder at him with a small smile. “Relax. I think I’ve made it clear enough now that you aren’t going to be fired.” He said it so flippantly, but Eren’s cheeks burned.

“I got it off Petra’s computer.” That was true… technically. Levi snorted but didn’t seem otherwise mad, so Eren allowed himself to relax. They got in the elevator and Eren thanked God they didn’t have to pass the front desk to access them. If Petra saw them together in the state they were in, god knew what rumours she’d think up. Although, he supposed, they’d probably be quite close to the truth. Unless she saw them get in the elevator together to get to Levi’s office and then wondered what they’d get up to together in there. _Oh God._ Eren closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing, but he could feel his entire face burning.

“You okay?” Eren heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down and he could just imagine Levi shrugging off his hoodie. _Don’t look don’t look don’t look_. “Eren? You look constipated, are you okay?” Levi sighed and seemed to mull over his next words. “Look, if you’re worried I’m going to be mad you’re turning me down, you don’t have to be. I’m not going to punish you or hold it against you, it was honestly kind of stupid of me to tell you in the first place. It was very unprofessional and I want to apologise.” Eren squeezed his eyes shut tighter, but he couldn’t get rid of the mental image of the despondent expression Levi must be wearing.

“Gahhhh!” When he opened his eyes, Levi was watching him, startled by his outburst. His hair was all over the place, slightly wavy as it dried, and he had his sweat shirt slung over one shoulder as he leaned against the opposite wall of the elevator. He looked like a teenager, his gait and his untidy appearance combined. He was so cute.  He was so cute Eren wanted to kiss him.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked, because it seemed like the obvious thing to say.

“What?” Levi straightened and frowned.

“Please?”

“I don’t – um…?” Levi shook his head, and Eren wasn’t sure is that was a ‘ _no’_ or an ‘ _I don’t understand what the fuck is happening_.’ But Eren continued to watch him resolutely, because although he had a one track mind, it was a stubborn one, and he wanted to kiss Levi and he was sure of it now. Maybe more than once.  
Levi searched his face, but he must have found the bull-headed certainty he was looking for because he gave a one-shouldered shrug than might have been an attempt at nonchalance hadn’t he been blinking so much and his eyes darting between Eren’s eyes and lips.

“Y-yes.” Eren beamed. Levi was back to stuttering again, and he was suddenly looking very shy and his fair skin was dusted pink. Eren decided he _did_ want to kiss him more than once, and possibly all over.

He stepped forward and Levi backed into the corner of the elevator, matching his movements. Eren might have thought he was trying to evade him if not for the way Levi watched him approach, expectant and eager. Levi’s hands – Eren couldn’t tell if they were shaking or shivering – knotted in the damp cloth of his shirt and pulled him flush against himself until Levi was wedged between the two walls and Eren’s body. He had to crane his neck to look up at Eren, the height difference more pronounced than ever when they were so close, but Eren could see Levi liked it.

The kiss was sweet. Chaste. Eren didn’t know what he expected, but he decided this was what he wanted; Levi’s cold lips warming against his own, soft and pliable. Hands running up to tangle in his hair and hold him close. He let his arms circle around the shorter man’s waist. He could feel all the solid muscle tensed under his damp undershirt and he let out an involuntary groan because _fuck_ , that was hot. Levi’s finger’s tightened in his hair in response and he pressed his body forward so Eren could feel every inch of him through their thin shirts plastered against their skin. Bless the rain, it left very little to the imagination. His boss was ripped and kissing him and _fuck_ , his brain was going to short-circuit.

Neither of them even heard the ‘ _ding_!’ of the elevator doors opening, but they did hear the ear-splitting shriek that followed. They wrenched apart, panting, and turned to face the open doors and their audience. Hanji had a fist stuffed in her mouth like she was trying to hold back any further noises despite the damage being done. Her eyes were bright and her grin wide enough to still be visible around the shape of her knuckles. Mike, at least, attempted to retain his professionalism, although Eren decided the way his lips were pressed together looked like he was trying to hold back a smile.

Eren wasn’t appreciative of the interruption, but he certainly didn’t mind the way Levi curled up against his chest like he was trying to hide, the tips of his ears blushing scarlet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I want to thank the fluff queen Bfketh for the inspiration for this entire chapter. I was stuck on what on earth to write because the idea of established relationship fluff, while sweet, sort of bored the hell out of me. Then Keth – sweet, wise Keth – said, ‘Why should the embarrassment end??’ And so, in true awkward-Levi fashion, suggested I fuck everything up as I do so well. And so I did. 
> 
> Last chapter, guys! Enjoy <3

“You alright, hun?”

Eren startled out of his daydream to see Petra peering at him concernedly over her horn-rimmed glasses. He looked at his computer screen which had gone to dark from idleness.

“What? Yeah, yeah.” Eren smashed on the keyboard to wake it up and cleared his throat, straightening in his seat. He clicked open the company emails and began blindly scrolling through the inbox, all the while painfully aware of the hazel eyes scrutinizing him from the side. Eventually, he sighed. Slamming his hands on the armrests of his chair, he whirled around to face Petra.

“Go on,” He prompted. “Just ask.”

“How was it?” Petra’s expression was already twisted into one of apprehension; she knew the answer already, just wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth. Credibility and all for when she circulated the information in the staff cafeteria later today.

“I can’t even describe.”

“It couldn’t possibly have gone worse than the previous two?”

“Oh, but it could,” Eren insisted, eyes wide. Petra’s eyes grew in turn. She fluttered her manicured hands in a vague gesture for him to stop talking.

“Okay, okay. I want details, but first rehash what happened the first two dates. I need a refresh. Get me in the _mood_.” She wiggled in her seat excitedly.

“At least they’re getting _someone_ in the mood…” Eren mumbled. Okay, that was mean. The dates, although textbook awful, hadn’t been _bad_ , if that made sense. While he did cringe when thinking back on them, they also made him smile because it was just so classic – so _Levi_ – so how on earth could he have hated it? In fact, in retrospect, he had always ended up enjoying himself anyway. That said a lot.

“First was the seafood place, right? At Elmar’s?” Eren nodded as he remembered that night. The same night they had first kissed in the elevator, wet from the rain but hot against each other. Once they’d dried up and changed, Levi insisted he take Eren out to dinner. He was just so hell-bent that Eren couldn’t refuse, and while Mikasa and Armin were a little miffed at being stood up, they couldn’t stay mad long when they could hear how excited he himself was.

Elmar’s was without a doubt one of the fanciest, most expensive, high class restaurants in the country. It was in the casino, smack dab in the middle of the gaming floor on a raised platform with tinted windows circling all round so the patrons had a 360 view of their surroundings while no one could see in. Eren was pretty certain there was a waiting list a mile long and probably a stipulation that you had to have at least a six-figure salary to even have a _chance_ at booking a table, but when they rocked up at the entrance, hand in hand, Levi just gave the host his name and they waved him in with barely a glance at the little monitor in front of them.

“Right this way, Sir.”

Eren had shrunk behind Levi as much as he could manage despite being the taller of the two. He felt so self-conscious and out of place. He didn’t feel like a ‘Sir’ at all. Levi was in his spare suit from work that fit him like a glove. Even his damp hair, casually combed back from his face, somehow looked like it had been meticulously styled by a professional for a photo shoot. Then there was Eren in his soggy sneakers looking like he couldn’t afford clothes that fit because his current outfit was Levi’s spare trousers and polo and they might have been expensive, but they were just too damn small to make up for it. He was pretty sure his outfit was contravening the dress code, and the other patrons in the restaurant glared judgementally as they passed, but Levi tugged him close and gripped his hand like he was expecting Eren to try and bolt any second. To be fair, Eren did contemplate it.

They got a table close to the window. Eren was pretty sure it cost extra. He glanced at the leather bound menu then quickly slammed it shut as if it had stung him. He was never any good at maths but even he could do the basic sums and any one of these dishes cost more than he earned in a day.

“What do they even serve at this place?” He asked, voice hushed. Levi smiled at him over the waiter pouring their complimentary champagne. The closest thing Eren had ever had to champagne was goon and he hadn’t hated it so how bad could this be?

“Haven’t you heard of this place?” Levi had asked, not condescendingly. Of course Eren had; he’d just never paid much attention because with his yearly income it just wasn’t the type of place he bothered thinking about any more than yachting trips in the Caribbean. “It’s all seafood dishes from around the world.”

 _Oh_.

Levi must have seen something in his face because his brow creased with worry.

“What is it? Don’t you like seafood?”

“Well no, that’s not it...” Eren realised now that while he had been sweating bullets, he hadn’t noticed just how nervous Levi had been. The older man had been fiddling with one of the billion pieces of cutlery arrayed before him before putting it down and folding his hands in his lap. Eren felt the table shake and could tell Levi was bouncing his knee under the table. He smiled tightly at Eren, like _he_ was the one who’d been dragged to a place way out of his comfort zone. Perhaps he had, Eren thought, all this glamour didn’t strike him as particularly Levi-esque. He was just trying really hard to impress. The thought made Eren’s belly grow warm despite the words he’d have to say next.

“I’m allergic.”

“What?”

“To seafood. Makes me puff up like a puffer fish.” Eren demonstrated by blowing up his cheeks and squinting. Levi looked horrified. “It’s not deathly or anything,” Eren hurried to add, misunderstanding. “Just rather itchy and uncomfortable.”

Levi looked like he was in pain. He blinked rapidly, eyes darting all over Eren’s face. Oh, he was panicking. Eren knew if Levi spoke now, he’d probably stutter.

“Look, it’s okay!” he flipped open his menu again and began to scan the dishes, studiously avoiding looking at the prices. They were all in different languages, he couldn’t recognise a single word. He quietly closed the book again and shrugged. “I’m sure there’s a… salad bar or something?”

“Oh God.” The older man covered his face with his hands. “Oh God, I’m so sorry, Eren.”

“Levi—“

“No, no. _Shit_.” The couple in a nearby table looked over, scandalised. Eren smiled back apologetically but the sight of a ratty kid probably did little to assuage their affrontation because they turned away with a sniff. “I should have asked or something. It’s _seafood_ ; not everyone likes it!” Levi seemed to be speaking more to himself now, chiding himself out loud for his thoughtlessness. He looked two seconds away from smacking himself on the forehead, his fist, now on the table, curled so tight his knuckles whitened under the skin.

“Levi.” His date – God, that felt good to say, even if only in his head – made no indication he’d heard him. Eren reached across the table and placed his palm over Levi’s hand. “ _Levi_.” He looked up now, as if just now noticing he wasn’t alone. Eren smiled, he couldn’t help it; while he felt for how awfully the other man was stressing, the sight was strangely comforting. They were both so out of their element right now and Eren felt all the closer to Levi because of it.

“Please, relax. I don’t care about the food, I just want to enjoy your company.” Levi’s face softened. He turned his hand over and unclenched his fist, his fingers gently curling around Eren’s hand.

“Besides,” Eren took his champagne flute with his free hand, and held it up in a mock toast. “This goon will keep me going all night.” Levi mirrored the action and laughed softly, although he still looked slightly nervous.

“It’s champagne.”

“That’s what I said.” Levi’s thumb drew lazy circles on his knuckles in a way that made his guts churn.

“I really am sorry,” he apologised again. Eren rolled his eyes as he sipped the champagne. It was quite different to goon, he decided. Aside from the fact the contents of his glass alone was probably worth two dozen silver sacks, the taste was pretty alright too. Bubbly. Levi raised his own flute to his lips.

“Stop apologising and let me enjoy myself. I don’t get to feel like a spoiled trophy wife every day.” Feeling bold, he shifted his foot forward under the table until he felt Levi’s, then slowly dragged it up along his calf. Levi’s eyes widened a fraction and he swallowed the bubbly down the wrong pipe. He coughed and spluttered, slamming his glass down hard on the table, and Eren couldn't help throwing his head back and laughing, ignoring the disapproving glares of the patrons around them. When he finally composed himself, he found Levi had recovered from his near drowning and was watching him across the table with the faintest smile. Eren felt his face burn and he raised his glass for another sip.

“What?” he asked self-consciously, voice muffled against the rim.

“I’ll gladly make you feel like a spoiled trophy wife every day if you keep laughing like that.” Eren froze. Was this really the same man who stuttered and stammered through all their previous encounters? He put down the champagne and raised the menu to hide his pink cheeks.

“Shut up.”

 

“Oh look at you, you’re so lovesick I could puke.” Eren snapped out of the memory.

“Am not.”

“You were smiling to yourself just _thinking_ about it,” Petra grinned despite herself. “Oysters are an aphrodisiac, you know.”

“I never ate anything.”

“But _he_ did. Damn, the things I would give to know what that felt like...” She winked at Eren’s mortified expression.

“Petra you are _married_.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Where were we again?” Eren said loudly, trying to banish her words from his thoughts. “Oh right, the beach.”

“The beach!” Petra burst into giggles just remembering. She slapped the desktop with her hand as she wheezed. “Oh, bless that man. How he tries.” Eren smiled. He really did.

One week after the Seafood Incident, they had their second date. It had also been Levi’s idea and he’d picked Eren up from his apartment in his car early on a sunny Saturday morning with the only clue being his instructions to ‘dress light’. Despite Eren’s curious badgering all through the drive, Levi had remained resolutely mum.

“The beach!” Eren exclaimed as the azure strip of the ocean came into view over the glow of distant sand dunes. Levi looked relieved.

“You’re happy,” he observed hesitantly.

“Of course I’m happy! I _love_ the beach!”

“Oh, thank fuck.”

It was beautiful. Eren paused at the top of the dunes to take in the view with sparkling eyes. Tall, red cliffs rising up along one side of the crystal waters like desert canyons and powdery white sand stretching around in a cresent for several hundred meters until broken off by more red cliffs in the distance. Despite the gorgeous day, the small cove was entirely deserted.

“It’s a private beach,” Levi said in ways of explanation, coming up behind him. He wrapped his arms around Eren’s waist and pressed his lips to his shoulder.

“Yours?” Levi snorted.

“God, I wish. I’m not made of money. It’s a friend's; he lent it to me for today.” Loaning a beach. Imagine being that rich.

Eren noticed two canoes along the shore now, one as red as the cliffs and the other bright yellow.

“Yes! Race you!” He didn’t wait for a response, twisting out of Levi’s embrace and sprinting down the sand dune, spraying sand in his wake.

He was several yards out before Levi had even gotten in his own canoe, and waited patiently for the older man to paddle out and join him. He was rather slow and cautious. Eren had expected to have been beaten easily; he knew Levi worked out religiously and judging by those biceps, he should’ve left Eren in his dust. Or bubbles.

“Tired, old man?”

“Huh?” Levi looked up from where he had been peering into the water below anxiously. Eren frowned.

“You alright?”

“Sure.” Levi forced on a smile, but he still looked slightly distracted. Perhaps he was still worrying if Eren really was enjoying himself.

Eren paddled his canoe over so they were parallel to each other and the beach, Levi facing one way and him the other. He leaned over to grip the other side of Levi’s vessel, his arm crossing over the older man’s body and holding them together so their faces were only inches apart.

“This is amazing, Levi. Thank you so much.” Levi blinked back mutely, grey eyes wide. Eren closed the gap between them and kissed his lover gently, bringing his hand up to cup this side of Levi’s face and turn it towards him. At least this was private, unlike Elmar’s. At least when Eren wanted to hold Levi, he needn’t worry about judgmental stares and ‘etiquette’.

Sitting in the spot so long, they were starting to roast. Eren pulled away first then shoved Levi’s canoe from his with a laugh.

“Woah!”

“Race you to the cliffs!” And he was off, leaving Levi wobbling and stunned behind him. He was a couple feet away when he heard an almighty ‘SPLASH!’ and arched around to see Levi’s canoe had capsized and was now floating in place, hull up. He burst into laughter, doubling over with tears in his eyes.

Until it hit him Levi still hadn’t surfaced.

 

“...It’s really not funny, Petra. He almost drowned.” The head receptionist was bent in two, wiping tears from her eyes while trying to spare her mascara.

“Well he survived so it’s okay to laugh.” Then, seeing his pout. “Sorry, sorry. Carry on.”

 

“You can’t swim?!”

Eren hoisted Levi onto the shore, supporting his weight under his arm. Levi coughed weakly in response. Eren placed him on the sand and collapsed beside him, breathing hard, and Levi curled over on his side to cough up excess seawater.

“Do you need mouth to mouth?” When Levi managed a weak smile, Eren know he’d be okay. He gently wiped away the bangs plastered to Levi’s forehead.

“You scared the shit out of me.” Levi grimaced.

“Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. It’s cause I shoved you that you went over. Christ, I’m such an idiot.” He was so reckless and thoughtless and rash. He should have picked up on Levi’s discomfort and pushed for a better explanation. It’s not like Levi was the type to volunteer something like that, especially seeing how much Eren was enjoying himself. “Although, you’re a fucking idiot too. Why would you bring me to a beach if you can’t swim?!”

Levi rolled onto his back and draped a sandy arm over his eyes, groaning.

“Petra said you liked the ocean and I really wanted to make it up to you since the Seafood Incident. Guess I fucked this up, too.”

“You’re an idiot, Levi,” Eren sighed fondly. He curled up against Levi’s side, leaning a cheek on his wet shoulder. “Stop worrying so much about what I’d enjoy; I just want to spend time with you and know we’re both having a good time. These dates have been out of this world, no one’s ever done this sort of thing for me, but if you took me to a dingy cinema and had burritos for dinner after, I’d be just as thrilled.”

“You’re a really strong swimmer.”

“I used to be a lifeguard.” Levi lifted his arm to squint at him sceptically. When he didn’t detect any falsehood, he sighed.

“Of course you were. I bet you volunteer at the fire brigade as well.” Eren laughed and wriggled closer, hooking one knee over Levi’s waist and wrapping his arm around him. “I brought a picnic hamper. It’s in the boot.”

“Relax Levi. You almost died, we can eat in a bit. This is nice.”

 

“…And then you two had long, languid sex on the beach,” Petra sighed longingly, chin perched on the palms of her upturned hands. “I remember the first time I went to the beach with my second husband…”

“That sounds messy. And a little painful,” Eren interrupted with a wince. All that sand? It had an awful habit of getting in all sorts of nooks and crannies.

“It was a private beach! Why would you _not_ take that opportunity?” Aside from the sand-in-unsavoury-orifices potential?

“It was our second date, Petra!”

“Oh psh. You see each other at work so often that you might as well be on your tenth date. You’re telling me you haven’t slept together yet?’

“So last night,” Eren resumed, ignoring the question and also the way Petra’s eyebrows rose as if to say ‘ _gotcha’_. “We went to the movies.”

“Let me guess; he took you to some weird alternative foreign film cinema in Northbridge and you didn’t understand a thing?”

“No, actually. We went to Hoyts at the shopping centre. I told him not to do anything too extravagant, and thankfully, he listened...”

 

It had been nice. Not that the other two hadn’t, of course. Even if he’d barely eaten at Elmar’s and Levi almost died at the beach, it had been intimate and relaxed; as if some disaster had to occur to break the ice. It was becoming expected that something ought to go awry whenever the two of them were concerned. Which was why they probably should have been more prepared for it the third time. 

It had felt like high school all over again; a nice, budgeted date at the dingy movies ten minutes from Eren’s apartment. He declined Levi’s offer for a ride and took the bus because it just felt right, the printed out e-tickets shoved in his pocket because Armin’s student card ensured discount concession tickets online. No Gold Lounge or IMAX tonight.

It was always a little cold in the cinema so Levi had a beanie on, milling about the arcade games awkwardly with his hands shoved in his jeans pockets as he waited for Eren. Eren decided he was very cute and it was a look he liked on the older man. He greeted his date by shimmying up his woollen hat and planting a kiss on his forehead.

“Hello, boss.”

Levi’s eyes went all crinkly when he smiled, and his cheeks were pink from the chill.

“Jaeger.”

“Eren? Is that you?”

Eren blinked down at Levi’s face between his hands. His lips hadn’t moved. That had been a woman’s voice.

He spun around to face the woman who’d spoken, and his stomach sank like a stone.

“Auntie Pam.” Well that couldn’t have sounded less enthused if he’d tried. How much had she seen? He sprang away from Levi as if they’d been conducting a drug deal, not greeting each other. They might as well have been. Auntie Pam smiled at him slightly bewildered. Her dark eyes shot between him and Levi and Eren could see her mind ticking. No, stop that.

“I was fixing his hat. It was askew.” _Askew_. _What the fuck, Eren?_ Levi gave him a strange look. Eren pounced behind his aunt and tacked on a pallid smile. His heart was racing in his chest. _Of all the people…_ “Auntie, this is my friend Levi. Levi, this is my aunt, Pam. She’s Christian.”

Levi awkwardly held out a hand for her to shake, and he seamlessly melted into business mode. His smile was professional and trustworthy and Eren didn’t doubt it dazzled Pam enough to momentarily whisk away whatever she might have seen before. Levi still managed to shoot him a puzzled look over her head.

 _'Very_ Christian,' Eren mouthed back, eyes widened forebodingly. Levi’s mouth formed a little ‘o’.

“What are you two boys doing here, then?”

“We thought we’d catch a movie,” Levi answered with a ready smile. He clasped his hands in front of him, posture perfect. He looked like a choirboy. Good job, Levi.

“Levi was dumped last week by his girlfriend and he had these two spare tickets so he invited me along before they expired. As friends.” He was panicking. Talking too much. Levi glared at him with an expression that said ‘ _shut up, already_.’ Eren clamped his mouth down with an audible snap.

“Oh, that’s lovely, isn’t it? What are you watching?” Eren tried to make a throat-cutting gesture behind Auntie Pam’s back. Levi saw too late.

“The Dressmaker.” _Noooo_.

“Oh, what a coincidence, so am I! We should sit together.” _Noooo._

Auntie Pam sat to his left while Levi took the seat to his right. Eren sat stiffly in between with his hands on the armrests like a manikin that had been awkwardly folded and stuffed into the chair in a hurry. His eyes stared forward, sweat beading his forehead and upper lip. He didn’t see anything on the screen. Except Liam Hemsworth, but it was hard not to.

He wasn’t sure how long it had been, but his eyes kept darting to the left to check on his aunt. Her eyes were happily glued to the screen, but Eren’s guard didn’t drop. He didn’t dare look at Levi; he was aggressively heterosexual for the next one hundred and twenty-eight minutes.

Eren felt his right armrest twitch. He shifted his arm and risked looking at Levi curiously. The eye contact felt extra intense in the privy of the dark theatre with Satan herself hovering at his right shoulder. Levi smiled secretively at him and pushed the armrest all the way up, shimmying over so space between so their legs brushed. Eren’s heart rate picked up. He risked a glance at his aunt, but her eyes were obliviously aimed forward.

Levi had shed his cardigan before the movie started and he now draped it casually in the space between them. You couldn’t see where their legs touched. You couldn’t see how Levi’s hand crept under until his fingers brushed against Eren’s, or how Eren tentatively took his hand in his and interlaced their fingers. His heart was still thundering, but Auntie Pam was far from his thoughts.

“Will we _ever_ have some peace?” Levi’s whisper was barely audible, but it made Eren smile.

“Be careful your ex-girlfriend doesn’t find out.”

 

“Have you ever given a hand-job in a theatre?

“Really, Petra?” Eren just stared at his co-worker flatly. The redhead shrugged and looked up from her fingernails as if to say ‘ _Well_?’ Eren frowned.

“I can honestly say I haven’t.” And then when she looked disappointed. “My aunt was _right there_.” Petra conceded the excellent point.

“You would have otherwise?”

 _Why am I defending myself?_ Eren shot her a glare but didn’t answer and she spun back to her monitor with a triumphant grin. Well as long as that put the matter to rest, he didn’t care what she got out of it.

“Speak of the devil…”

Eren looked up just in time to see Levi seeing off a client. He glanced their way and shot Eren a tentative smile and, probably assuming Eren and Petra were actually busy being productive employees and not wanting to disturb them, turned to head back towards the elevator.

“Oh, oh!” Eren tripped out of his chair and vaulted over the counter. “Levi!”

The older man paused as Eren jogged up to meet him. His eyebrows drew together in confusion.

“Everything alright?”

“What? Yeah, of course.” Eren waved away the question as Levi turned to face him fully. “I just wanted to apologise for last night, actually…”

“Auntie Pam?” Levi cracked a rare smile and his eyes softened. “It’s fine, Eren. I’m honoured to have met the family already.”

“It was just so awkward and she’s so awful and I thought I was going to _die_.“ Eren covered his face with his hands and peeked between the cracks of his fingers.

“ _Eren_.” Levi hesitated and glanced around furtively before taking a step closer. He was always so cautious at work, but Eren know it was less about maintaining professionalism and more about shyness. God knows between Hanji and Petra there were few people in the building who _weren’t_ aware of their ‘relationship’, if you could call it that yet. Not that Eren was or anything. Levi pried Eren’s fingers gently apart and met his gaze earnestly. “I really enjoyed last night. Please don’t apologise.”

“You did?”

Levi looked at him like he’d just asked the dumbest question.

“Don’t ask dumb questions,” he said. Eren bit his lip and gathered his resolve. _Do it._

“Iwonderingifjyouwantedtocomeovertonight?” He didn’t realise he’d squeezed his eyes shut until he had to peek one open to gauge Levi’s reaction. The shorter man stared back blankly.

“What?”

Eren willed himself to relax.

“Do you maybe want to come over to my place tonight?” He twisted the fabric of his sweater vest anxiously in his hands, shuffling on the spot. “…Armin’s out studying and Mikasa’s working late. We’ll have the place to ourselves for a while and… we could watch a movie and order in?”

Levi had been in charge of all the previous dates so far and even Eren could see he’d put much thought into them. The first had been rather impromptu, but Eren could hardly imagine the strings he must have pulled to get into Elmar’s at such short notice. Then the beach… when had he even talked to Petra enough to find out Eren loved it? He must have secretly researched something he knew Eren would enjoy after the Seafood Incident, and then to follow through despite _not being able to swim_? And lastly the movie that had every reason to be wonderful but Auntie-fucking-Pam just _had_ to come along. A hat trick of disaster dates like that would shake _anyone’s_ confidence, and Eren needed Levi to know he didn’t care about any of that.

“I mean,” Eren laughed nervously, scratching the nape of his neck. “How could we possibly fuck _that_ up?”

Levi stared at him for such a long moment that Eren began to doubt himself. Why would Levi want to come to his filthy shared apartment? He was a businessman who took Eren to fancy restaurants and the beach; he was probably _insulted_. He was thinking up ways to retract the invite without being rude when Levi reached out and took the hand that was still fisted in the hem of his sweater, pulling it free and running his thumb over the knuckles gently. He took another step closer and Eren thought to himself, ‘ _Anyone looking at us right now would have no doubt this was beyond a professional capacity. Levi is doing a very special thing_.’ Then he smiled so widely Eren saw _dimples_ and that sent every thought in his mind scattering in all directions like light reflected off a disco ball. Levi stood on his toes until his lips brushed Eren’s ear and for a moment, Eren forgot how to breathe.

“Let’s find out.”


End file.
